asked the Minister of Health whether he has any statement to make on the Report of the Working Party on the recruitment and training of nurses.

Yes. The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have promised to consider the views of the Nursing Organisations and other interested bodies before policy is finally formulated and these views are now being obtained. The Working Party's recommendations, for which we are much indebted, concern, however, long-term policy and cannot be expected to produce an immediate increase in the supply of nurses. We trust hospital authorities will, therefore, at once examine interim measures to reduce wastage and will make the maximum use of part-time and married nurses and build up their domestic staffs to relieve nurses of domestic duties.